The present invention relates to solenoids and more particularly to a water valve operating solenoid having a unitary housing.
Various prior art devices have been used to control the flow of water. Such devices are typically solenoid operated and arranged within a control valve system wherein fluid supplied to the inlet of the main control valve is employed in a pilot control system to cause the main valve to open or to close, or to maintain a partly open position.
These prior art valves typically include a solenoid for magnetically displacing a movable armature to control the flow of fluid through a vent port of a pilot valve. When the pilot valve is open, fluid flows from an actuating chamber through the vent port and into an outlet chamber. The pilot valve may be closed by opening the circuit to the solenoid coil to allow an associated spring to displace the armature and thereby close the vent port.
Prior art solenoids for controlling fluid flow have typically been formed of a housing manufactured of stainless steel non-magnetic material with an epoxy coating to prevent rusting.
A separate plunger tube is typically secured to the housing. A threaded nipple enables the housing and the plunger tube to be secured to the valve system. The plunger tube must be capable of withstanding a wide range of water pressures in the course of the operation of the solenoid valve. It must also be formed of a non-magnetic material so as not to interfere with the flux in the area.
These prior art devices have proven to be excessively expensive. In particular, the construction of the device having a separate non-magnetic stainless steel plunger tube including a brass nipple is costly.